A Qatari businessman has expressed confidence that various real estate developments and projects outside Doha will soon become touristic and investment destinations in the country.
Speaking on the sidelines of the three-day Cityscape Qatar 2016 last month, Farhan al-Sayed said properties and ongoing projects such as Souq Al Wakrah will continue to expand and attract many tourists and investors because of their unique offerings.
“It is a very beautiful place. You can sit and have coffee or breakfast right in front of the sea and it is natural,” he said.
Like the popular Souq Waqif in Doha, the place features traditional buildings and hosts a wide range of coffee shops and restaurants that serve Arabic and international food and beverages.
Al-Sayed believes Souq Al Wakrah will expand further to accommodate the growing number of visitors, as well as business establishments, which are mostly operated by Qatari entrepreneurs.
He said Souq Waqif has become very popular among local and international tourists due to its many unique features and attractions: a newly built park fronting the Doha Corniche and the Museum of Islamic Art, restaurants, shops, its historical significance, the art centre, and the several events and activities organised regularly.
Al Khor has also opened a lot of new attractions and destinations for residents especially families and children, according to al-Sayed.
Besides the Corniche, he noted that Al Khor Park and the Purple Island continue to attract a large number of visitors especially during the weekend.
“The Corniche there will be developed and in Mesaieed it will pick up in the coming years to have projects down the line,” he added.
While attending some of the bike competitions recently, al-Sayed observed that many Qataris had been putting up tents in the area, as well as in other places such as Zekreet and those before reaching Dukhan and the Cuban hospital.
About Cityscape Qatar, he said the event is very timely because it opens up the doors for GCC investors to invest in real estate properties particularly in Qatar.
“This is good for the Qatar economy. We have amazing projects with very high international standards which can be sold abroad,” the businessman stressed.
About the impact of the oil price slowdown, he said the real estate market is again picking up despite the situation but it gives people an opportunity to
diversify their investments.
“If the stock market is low, the real estate market is low, you will find a lot of buyers because real estate prices are lower compared to the previous years when the market was high,” he pointed out.